Des Moines Air Quality in August
Across 2019–2025, Des Moines's August air quality had a median AQI of 46 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area. 0.9% of August days (2 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 66.4% of days. The cleanest August on record here was 2019 (median AQI 38, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 54, 1 day above 100, peak AQI 110).
- Good: 60.4%
- Moderate: 38.7%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.9%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Des Moines in August?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 46 across 2019–2025, with 0.9% of August days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓60.4% of August days were Good (AQI 0–50), 38.7% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓2 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the August peak was 122.
- ✓Best August: 2019; worst August: 2021.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Des Moines in August?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Des Moines in August was 46 (Good). 60.4% of days were Good, 38.7% Moderate, and 0.9% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is August a good time for outdoor exercise in Des Moines?▾
A typical August day in Des Moines sits in the Good range (median AQI 46), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of August days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Des Moines's August air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 66.4% of August days in Des Moines. The highest August AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 122 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2021.
Des Moines August air quality, year by year
Des Moines August air quality by year (Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019cleanest | 31 | 38 | 0 | 56 | O3 |
| 2020 | 31 | 41 | 0 | 61 | PM2.5 |
| 2021worst | 31 | 54 | 1 | 110 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 41 | 0 | 58 | O3 |
| 2023 | 31 | 54 | 0 | 75 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 47 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 52 | 1 | 122 | PM2.5 |
What August air means in Des Moines
A typical August day in Des Moines sits in the Good range (median AQI 46), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of August days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
August's median AQI of 46 is in line with Des Moines's whole-year median of 44, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median August AQI across every EPA metro area (104,152 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 45, so Des Moines runs in line with the national August norm; 0.9% of its August days topped AQI 100 versus 3.5% nationally (below average).
August is part of Des Moines's summer season (June, July, August); the summer page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Des Moines
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Des Moines's AQI at 32 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Des Moines air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA), 2019–2025. Daily AQI per CBSA is the highest AQI reported by any monitor in the area that day; the defining parameter is the pollutant that set it. Month and season statistics pool every such day in the period across all years listed. Retrieved 2026-09-09.